Closing the chapter on Superintendent Horoschak

Posted
Thursday, December 27, 2012 1:00 pm

The Warwick School Department has closed an ugly chapter with the announcement this past Saturday of an agreement signed by the School Committee and Superintendent Peter P. Horoschak that formally states the 72-year-old Horoschak has retired.

As was the case in September, when the superintendent was placed on administrative leave and told not to go on school property without explanation, his retirement is likewise cloaked in secrecy. While the committee issued the news release, no notice of a committee meeting was posted, although apparently members have consented to the agreement. His retirement is expected to be acted on at a future committee meeting.

That aside, the parties agreed not to make any further statements, which presumably include any financial considerations concerning Horoschak’s to leaving the post before his 3-year contract expires in July. Presumably, too, the department has the resources to pay for such an agreement, although, since the terms of the agreement are not public, we don’t know how much will have to be taken from where in the school budget.

Also left unanswered is, if the committee was unsatisfied with Horoschak’s performance, why they did not review with him, as required by contract, his performance and inform him there would not be a renewal in July? Now, after almost four months, the parties release a statement praising his leadership in difficult financial times, and the fact that in the last three fiscal years the department has posted surpluses. It further notes that he ably guided the system through the consolidation of schools in response to declining enrollment.

It all sounds good, leading us to the conclusion that, while the committee was not satisfied with Horoschak’s performance, he did not do something that deserved such seemingly callous treatment.

That’s behind us now, and the committee can focus on the challenges before Warwick schools. On the top of that list would be naming a superintendent.

Richard D’Agostino, director of special education, has served as acting superintendent since Horoschak’s banishment and he appears to have found a groove and has recently revitalized the committee studying facilities and how the department should respond to declines in enrollment. D’Agostino may be the right man for the job.

Nonetheless, we feel the committee should conduct a search, and that incoming members Jennifer Ahearn and Karen Bachus be a part of the process. The school department needs someone at the helm who can manage the ship and hold a course for the future.

RIPTA said in a statement the decision was a "personnel matter and not related to a criminal investigation."

An investigation was launched last week following a security breach at the transportation agency.

Someone covered a security camera in a room where cash bus fares are handled. Officials have not said whether any money was stolen.

Eight employees, including three managers, were fired and a ninth employee was suspended in connection with the investigation."

RIPTA said this was a "personnel matter and not related to a criminal investigation". Sound familiar.

Where is the Beacon story about this? You will not find a story that would say anything negative about Mayor Avedisian in the Beacon.

For 4 years, I presented a balanced budget for Warwick Taxpayers even with cuts in funding each of 4 years after several years of deficit spending. I put new books into the hands of our students. I fixed all the roofs that were leaking so students could focus on studies. I introduced a 20% co-pay for ALL employees and guaranteed it in negotiations and contracts with all the school unions and employees that saved the schools MILLIONS.

I thought that was a good resume and performance for a new member of the school committee elected in 2008. I was not re-elected in November.

The person who was elected is currently under investigation for a felony and a mis-demeanor. Feel free to get the Police Incident report from 10-26-2012 at the Warwick Police Department. Report #12-5688-OF This is still under investigation. I'm outraged that this information was not made public prior to the election. John Howell emailed me when I questioned him last week and admitted he knew of the report prior to the election and spoke with the Police Chief and still decided not to run a story. The taxpayers in Warwick should be equally outraged. I am waiting for a full investigation and will be visiting the Board of Elections.

The Beacon knew about this 10 days before the election. Did the Beacon do a front page story about it? No, they did not. Instead they wrote several stories about the superintendent being on administrative leave for personnel matters.

Which would you rather have known 10 days before the election? That the superintendent was STILL on administrative leave or that one of the 4 people running for school committee was involved with a police incident involving a felony, misdemeanor and destruction of property? As a warwick Resident and taxpayer, I would want to know who it was I was voting for. The Beacon did not run the story on the school committee member involved in the incident. Instead they ran a story about the superintendent and unanswered questions.

The answer the how much the superintendent is being paid can easily be seen by checking the school committee budget which is a public document. If John Howell, of the Beacon wanted the information, he could simply have asked to look at the budget, No expenditure, can be made by the school committee without a notation in the budget and where the money went. Instead of doing his job, he writes another story about not getting information.